Footwear and the like



95 L. H. L'HOLLIER 2,728,999

FOOTWEAR AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JIZL/Ehibfi. Leslie .H-LHUZZfEE @3- WM M).

Jan. 3, 1956 1.. H. L'HOLLIER 2,728,999

FOOTWEAR AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a) a I F JUL/F7705 571 L 55215? H-LH: Z ZI'EH WM L$Uy United grates iiatent Q FOGTWEAR AND 1111511 Leslie H. LHollier, Newton, Mass, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. 12, a corporation of New York Application August 16, 195%, Serial No. 172,834 9 Claims. ((11. 36- 1) This invention relates to footwear and pertains more particularly to waterproof footwear, such as boots and the like, particularly adapted to be worn outdoors in wet and/or cold weather.

It is an object of this invention to provide an article of footwear which substantially prevents the body heat of the wearer from being dissipated through the walls of the footwear to the surrounding atmosphere.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article of footwear which insulates the foot of the wearer from temperatures of the surrounding medium.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an article of footwear which is impervious to moisture and water.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an article of footwear which may be readily pulled on or removed from the foot.

Still another object of this invention is to providean article of footwear which is comfortable when worn on the foot.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the description and drawings which follow.

Because of the rapid advances in aviation enabling aircraft to transcend the relatively warm layers of atmosphere surrounding the earth and because of expanding interest in the frigid regions of the earth, footwear capable of protecting the wearers feet from the extreme cold and moisture of such regions has been demanded. Conventional types of footwear have proven unsatisfactory in that they do not substantially insulate the wears feet for sustained periods of time from moisture, wind and temperatures below the temperature of the body of the wearer. Conventional types of insulated footwear do not provide means for protecting the insulating layer of the footwear from moisture evaporated from the body of the wearer, thereby permitting the insulating layer to become damp which consequently destroys the insulating properties of this layer. Furthermore, along the areas of an insulated boot of conventional construction at which insulated upper members of the boot are joined to the sole, the insulation is necessarily compressed to a relatively thin layer providing insuflicient insulation from the cold at these areas, permitting heat given off by the wearer to diffuse to the atmosphere.

I have found that the various disadvantages inherent in footwear of conventional construction may be eliminated by protecting the insulating layer of the footwear from moisture given oif by the body of the wearer with a moisture-proof layer interposed beween the insulating layer and the body of the wearer and by providing additional insulating means along those areas of the footwear at which the upper members of the footwear are'joined to the sole.

For a clearer understanding of this invention, specific reference will be made henceforth to a boot, however, it will be understood that l contemplate the use of this invention in other articles of footwear, such as galoshes,

overshoes and the like, in which substantially the same problems arise.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in elevation partly broken away and in section of a boot embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

A boot made in accordance with my invention as shown in Fig. 1 comprises a flexible leg-enclosing upper member 10 which extends generally to the knee of the wearer, covering the calf of the reg. Upper 11) is a laminated structure comprising a flexible resilient waterimpervious rubber-like outer barrier 11, a soft flexible outer insulating member 1.2, a sort flexible inner insulating member 13, a flexible resilient water-impervious rubber-like inner barrier 14, and a flexible collar 15 of fabric coated with rubber-like material secured along the upper outer margin of outer barrier 11.

Outer insulating member 12 extends a short distance under midsole 17 and upwardly from midsole 17 to any desired height and may be constructed of any soft flexible heat-insulating material, such as deep pile fabric, shearling, spun glass, cotton, rabbit hair, spun nylon, and the like. Outer insulating member 12 is formed by joining together two pieces of insulating material forming a butt seam 18 extending from the toe portion of midsole 17 upwardly along the front of upper 10 and a butt seam 19 extending from the heel portion of midsole 1'7 upwardly along the back of upper 10. Reinforcing strips 2t), 21) disposed over seams 18, 19 and inter posed between insulating member 12 and outer barrier 11 which is disposed over the entire outer face of insulating member 12 provide additional reinforcement for seams 18, 19.

inner insulating member 13 extends from midsole 17 upwardly to any desired height and has disposed over its entire inner face inner barrier 14. Inner insulating member 13 comprises two pieces of heat-insulating material, such as deep pile fabric, shearling, cotton, spun glass, and the like, joined together along opposing margins forming butt seams 21, 22; seam 21 extending upwardly from the heel portion of midsole 17 and seam 22 extending upwardly from the toe portion of midsole 17. Reinforcing strips 23, 23 disposed over seams 21, 22 and interposed between insulating member 13 and barrier 14 provide reinforcement for seams 21, 22.

Fabric member 24 coated with a water-impervious rubber-like material on its outer face is secured along its lower inner marginal zone to the outer face of the upper marginal area of insulating member 12, and fabric member 25 coated with a water-impervious rubber-lil e material on its inner surface is secured along its lower cuter marginal zone to the inner face of the upper marginal area of insulating member 13. Fabric members 24, 25 are secured together along their opposing upper marginal zones, as shown in Fig. 3, providing a waterand airtight enclosure 26 around insulating member 12 and insulating member 13.

Collar 15 is preferably a knitted flexible fabric, such as light net, coated on both of its faces with a water-impervious rubber-like material, and is secured along its lower marginal area to the outer face of reinforcing member 24 and the upper marginal area of insulating member 12. The relatively flexible collar 15 may be folded downwardly over the outer insulating member 12 when the wearer does not desire the boot to completely cover the calf of the leg.

Midsole 17 is constructed of a heat-insulating material which is firm and relatively incompressible, such as wool felt, and its marginal zones 27, 27 extend upwardly a short distance, as shown in Fig. 2, preferably from A to /1 of an inch, between outer insulating member 12 and inner insulating member 13 providing additional insulation along this area of the boot.

A flexible heat-insulating welt 28 of firm and relatively incompressible material, such as wool felt, interposed between outer insulating member 12 and inner insulating member 13 extends about the entire lower marginal zone of upper 10. As shown in Fig. 2, welt 23 is lap seamed to marginal zones 27, 27 of midsole 17 and extends upwardly to about the top of the phalanges of the foot when the boot is being worn or to approximately midvamp height; preferably welt 28 extends upwardly for approximately A1 to 2 inches. Welt 28 provides additional insulation along the area of juncture of upper with outsole 29.

A relatively flexible fabric liner 30 is disposed over and adhered to the upper face of midsole 17 as with a rubbery cement and the upper face of liner 3% is adhered to the bottom face of barrier 14. Disposed over the lower face of midsole 17 and adhered thereto as with a rubbery cement is a relatively flexible fabric liner 31 whose bottom face is adhered to barrier 11. As shown in Fig. 2, barrier 14 provides a water-impervious layer of rubber-like material about the entire inner surface of the insulating assembly which prevents moisture evaporated from the body of the wearer from diffusing into the insulating members diminishing their insulating properties, and barrier 11 provides a water-impervious layer of rubber-like material over the entire outer surface of the insulating assembly preventing moisture from diffusing into the insulating members from the atmosphere.

A heel counter 32 of woven fabric reinforcing material coated on its outer face with a rubber-like material extends over the heel portion of upper 10 and is adhered thereto.

A foxing strip 33 of woven fabric reinforcing material coated on its outer face with a rubber-like material is adhered to the lower marginal portion of upper 10 extending from the quarter portion of the boot on one side forwardly around the toe of the boot to the quarter portion of the boot on the other side and overlying the forward portion of heel counter 32.

A flexible fabric heel-reinforcing strip 34 extending from midsole 17 upwardly along the inner rear face of upper and adhered thereto and a flexible fabric toereinforcing strip 35 extending upwardly from midsole 17 along the inner front face of upper 10 and adhered thereto permit the boot to be easily pulled on and removed from the foot of the wearer.

A soft flexible heat-insulating insole 36, preferably constructed of a material similar to that of midsole 17, is disposed over barrier 14 and adhered thereto, if desired, to provide additional insulation for the bottom portion of the boot and a soft foundation upon which the wearers foot may rest. 7

A preferred method of constructing the boot is to drape inner insulating member 13, which has previously been formed into the desired contour and has had member adhered to the upper margin thereof, over a last with the free ends of the insulating material against the last and to adhere, by cementing, reinforcing strips 23, 23 over seams 21, 22. Liner is disposed over the last and the marginal areas of liner 3%) are adhered to inner insulating member 13. The exposed surfaces of the assembly are coated with a water-impervious rubber-like material, such as by dipping the assembly in rubber latex to form barrier 14, and, if it is desirable, the coating of rubber-like material is dried. Heel-reinforcing strip 34 and toe-reinforcing strip are lasted to the coated assembly. Insole 36 is adhered to barrier 14 and the assembly is removed from the last and turned inside-out. The reversed assembly is again drawn over a last with the coated surfaces facing inwardly.

Midsole 17 is lasted and adhered as with a rubbery cement to liner 31 and the marginal zones 27, 27 of midsole 17 are urged around the foot portion of the last. Heat-insulating welt 28 is lasted over marginal zones 27, 27 of midsole 17 and is secured thereto by cementing. Outer insulating member 12 which has previously been formed into the desired contour is assembled over welt 23 and inner insulating member 13. Reinforcing strips 29, 2t) are lasted over seams 18 and 19. Member 24 is secured to the upper margin of insulating member 12, and the opposing upper margins of member 24 and member 25 are adhered together forming seam 26 leaving, however, a small unsealed opening 38 for allowing the air trapped between insulating layers 12 and 13 to escape during the vulcanization of the boot.

The exposed surfaces of the assembly are coated with a water-impervious rubber-like material such as by dipping the assembly in rubber latex to form barrier 11 which extends to approximately the bottom edge of member 24, and the coating created by this process is allowed to dry. If desired, calendered sheet rubber may be used for the outer covering.

Heel counter 32 is lasted over upper 10 and foxing strip 33 is lasted over upper 10 and the forward portions of heel counter 32. Outsole 29 is lasted over the lower marginal areas of heel counter 32 and foxing strip 33. C01- lar 15 is adhered to the outer face of member 24 and the upper outer marginal zone of barrier 11, and the assembly is vulcanized in the usual manner to produce an integral unit. Opening 38 is then sealed after the vulcanized assembly has been allowed to cool to room temperature to provide an airand water-tight insulating chamber in the boot.

My invention provides an article of footwear which insulates the foot of the wearer from temperatures below the body temperature of the wearer. It is commonly known that the human body maintains a specific body temperature by radiating heat and evaporating moisture to the surrounding atmosphere. The heat radiated from the foot of the wearer is prevented from diffusing to the surrounding atmosphere by providing an insulating construction entirely around the foot of the wearer.

The water-impervious rubber-like coating on the inner and outer surfaces of a boot within the purview of this invention prevents moisture and water from dampening the insulating layers of the boot preventing the destruction of the insulating properties of the insulating layers.

Footwear made in accordance with this invention and providing an additional layer of relatively incompressible insulating material along those areas of the footwear at which the upper members are lasted to the sole eliminates the faulty construction inherent in boots of conventional construction in which the insulation is compressed to a thin relatively poor insulatting layer along the juncture of the upper members of the boot with the sole, while at the same time making it possible to retain the superior heatinsulating properties of the more highly compressible materials, such as pile fabric or shearling, throughout most of the extent of the upper.

The term rubber shoe as used in the appended claims includes boots, shoes, gaiters, overshoes, slippers or socks to be worn inside an outer boot or shoe, and the like, made of natural or synthetic rubber or rubber-like plastic materials.

It is clear that obvious variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An article of footwear comprising pliable and flexible inner and outer spaced-apart generally-parallel wall members of a size and shape to constitute the sole portion and the foot and upper portion of said article and to provide an opening for the entrance and exit of the foot of a wearer, each of the wall members being moisture-impervious throughout its entire extent, the wall members being hermetically sealed one to the other in a joinder extending completely around the upper portion of said article to provide an air-tight chamber between the spacedapart wall members below said joinder, and flexible sheet heat-insulating filler means comprising solid material substantially filling said airtight chamber for substantially eliminating transfer of heat through said airtight chamber and for keeping the walls of said airtight chamber spaced apart except at the said joinder, the spaced-apart walls of said airtight chamber being capable of independent flexing movements with respect to each other in intermediate regions of said foot and upper portion under stresses developed during walking and running.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the filler means for eliminating transfer of heat by convection comprises two layers of flexible heat-insulating material, one layer being attached to the inner surface of the said inner wall member and the other layer being attached to the inner surface of the said outer wall member.

3, The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the filler means for eliminating transfer of heat by convection in the foot and upper portion of the article comprises pile fabric, the relatively smooth backing surface of which is contiguous the inside surface of a wall member and the piles of which project into said airtight space.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the filler means for eliminating transfer of heat by convection in the foot and upper portion of the article comprises two layers of pile fabric, the relatively smooth surface of one layer being attached to the inner wall of one wall member and the relatively smooth surface of the other layer being attached to the inner wall of the other wall member, the piles of each layer projecting into the airtight space.

5. In an article of footwear capable of protecting a foot of a wearer from chills and frostbite in sub-zero wet environments over extended periods of time, in combination, moisture-impervious inner and outer spaced-apart generally-parallel flexible rubber wall members of a size and shape to constitute the sole portion and the foot and upper portion to above ankle height of said article and to provide an opening for the entrance and exit of the foot of a wearer, the wall members being hermetically sealed one to the other around the entire extent of said opening to provide an airtight chamber between said spaced-apart wall members, each of said wall members being pliable and independently flexible in the intermediate regions of said foot and upper portion under wall-flexing stresses developed during walking and running, and pliable heat-insulating material positioned within the said airtight chamber and substantially coextensive in size and shape with the chamber for minimizing transfer of heat from one wall to the other and for keeping the two wall members a substantial distance apart except where sealed one to the other, said heat-insulating material in the intermediate regions of said foot and upper portion comprising two layers of pliable heat-insulating material, each layer comprising a relatively thin sheet material having relatively closely spaced piles protruding from one side of said sheet, the other side of said sheet being relatively smooth, one of said layers having its relatively smooth side attached to the inner surface of one wall member and being spaced from the inner surface of the other wall member, the other of said layers having its relatively smooth side attached to the inner surface of the said other wall member and being spaced from the inner surface of the said one wall member, the said layers being opposed to each other in face-to-face relationship while permitting the said wall members in the said intermediate regions to flex independently one from the other.

6. An article of footwear comprising an outsole, a

flexible upper member comprising a plurality of soft flexible heat-insulating layers opposing one another in face-to-face relationship, a relatively incompressible heatinsulating midsole having its marginal zones diverging from said outsole and interposed between said heat-insulating layers, a relatively incompressible heat-insulating welt extending along the entire lower margin of said upper member, the upper margin of said welt extending to about mid-vamp height along a zone generally parallel to said outsole and the lower margin of said welt extending to said midsole.

7. An article of footwear comprising an outsole, a flexible upper member comprising a plurality of soft flexible heat-insulating layers opposing one another in faceto-face relationship, a relatively incompressible heat-insulating midsole having its marginal zones diverging from said outsole and interposed between said heat-insulating layers, and a relatively incompressible heat-insulating welt extending along the entire lower margin of said upper member, the upper margin of said welt extending to about mid-vamp height along a zone generally parallel to said outsole and the lower margin of said welt extending to said midsole and secured thereto.

8. An article of footwear comprising an outsole, a flexible upper member comprising a plurality of soft flexible heat-insulating layers opposing one another in faceto-face relationship, a relatively incompressible heat-insulating midsole having its marginal zones diverging from said outsole and interposed between said heat-insulating layers, a relatively incompressible heat-insulating welt extending along the entire lower margin of said upper member, the upper margin of said welt extending to about mid-vamp height along a zone generally parallel to said outsole and the lower margin of said welt extending to said midsole, and a flexible resilient rubber-like member encasing said midsole, said welt and said insulating layers.

9. An article of footwear comprising an outsole, a flexible upper member comprising a plurality of soft flexible heat-insulating layers opposing one another in face-to-face relationship, a relatively incompressible heat-insulating midsole having its marginal zones diverging from said outsole and interposed between said heat: insulating layers, a relatively incompressible heat-insulating welt extending along the entire lower margin of said upper member, the upper margin of said welt extending to about the top of the phalanges of the foot along a zone generally parallel to said outsole and the lower margin of said welt extending to said midsole and secured thereto, a flexible resilient rubber-like barrier disposed over the outer faces of said welt, said heat-insulating layers and said midsole, and a second flexible resilient rubberlike barrier disposed over the inner faces of said welt, said heat-insulating layers and said midsole, the peripheries of the first said barrier and said second barrier being secured together to form a water-impervious covering about said welt, said heat-insulating layers and said midsole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,418,188 Jacobs May 30, 1922 1,469,291 Bojtos Oct. 2, 1923 1,585,040 McDonald May 18, 1926 1,924,716 Ferrettie Aug. 29, 1933 2,329,209 Manson et al. Sept. 14, 1943 2,433,834 Bazett Jan. 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 101,323 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1916 385,060 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1932 

